Combination irrigator and fluid conduit adapter



.Jan- 31, 1967 J. c, TROPEANO T AL 3,301,489

COMBINATION IRRIGATOR AND FLUID CONDUIT ADAPTER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 14, 1965 L Z'rlopeazzo,

Jan. 31, 1967 J. c. TROPEANO ETAL 3,301,489

COMBINATION IRRIGATOR AND FLUID CONDUIT ADAPTER Filed April 14, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g 7/1 VM #www Jan- 31, 1967 l J. c. TRoPEANo ETAL 3,301,489

COMBINATION IRRIGATOR AND FLUID CONDUIT ADAPTER Filed April 14, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jasepa/ 0. Tafopeazo, PzipL. Tafopeauw, by 74mm Uoafaaey United States Patent 3,301,489 CMBINATION IRRIGATOR AND FLUID CONDUIT ADAPTER Joseph C. Tropeano, 12 Revere St., and Philip L. Tropeano, 20 Revere St., both of Lexington, Mass. 02173 Filed Apr. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 448,098 4 Claims. (Cl. 239--206) This invention relates to lluid dispensing apparatus of the class commonly employed in such activities as farm irrigation, sprinkling golf `fairways and -greens and the like where a lluid such as water or other nutrient liquid is conducted through an underground main anddischanged at separated points in some desired manner.

It is a chief object of the invention to improve lluid dis-` pensing apparatus of the `class described and to devise a combination underground housing and fluid discharge unit which is readily demountalble so that by means of one simple adjustment the -fluid discharge unit may be quickly removed from the housing even though lthe latter mem-ber may (be located well below ground level.

Another object is to devise a demountable housing and sprinkler head arrangement which provides for instant removal of the sprinkler head for -repair or substitution by another sprinkler unit.

Still another object is to provide in combination with -a housing, interchangeable fluid discharge means which may be associated with novel wrench means.

Still another object is to provide a novel locking sleeve adapted construction which may be combined with various fluid dispensing members so that a sprinkler head assembly may be quickly converted to a hose adapter assembly or other types of the fluid dispensing system.

These and other objects and novel features will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of a prefer-red embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illust-ration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a vertical cross sectional view of one preferred form of lluid dispensing apparatus with which the adapter means of the invention may be combined;

FIGURE 2 is another vertical cross sectional view of the sprinkler housing taken at right angles to the position shown in FIGURE 1 and indicating the sprinkler head in a raised position and further indicating a wrench member engaged with the adapter means of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a detail perspective View of the locking sleeve adapter means;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view of a portion of the sprinkler head housing shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective View showing the sprinkle-r head removed from the casing and having the adapter sleeve mounted thereon; and

FIGURES 7 and 8 are perspective views illustrating a fluid conduit with adapter sleeve means for connecting with a hose member.

Referring more in detail to the structure shown in FIGURE l of the drawings, numeral 2 denotes a housing body which includes an elongated receptacle portion adapted to receive a sprinkl-er head and to be recessed just lbelow ,ground level in a substantially vertically disposed position. l

rice

housing section 8 are inwardly projecting lug portions as 10 located on opposite sides of the housing in spaced relation above the annular locking surface. One of the lug portions 10 is shown in cross section in FIGURE 2 and i-s further indicated at the inner surface of the housing portion 8 in FIGURE 5.

Supported in the tubular part 4 of the housing is a lluid conduit unit 12 which extends downwardly into the lowe-rend of the part 4 as shown in FIGURE 1. Arranged for vertically reciprocating movement at the upper end of the c-onduit unit 12 is a sprinkler head 16 which is ofthe well-known pop-up sprinkler type as disclosed in my earlier Patent No. 2,989,247, issued June` 20, 1961.

As is customary in this type of sprinkler head fluid pressure when exerted through the fluid conduit 12, causes the valve assembly to rise carrying with it a cover 18. Thereafter the sprinkler rotates throwing a spray of water or other fluid radially outwardly in a well-known manner.

In accordance with the invention the sprinkler head assembly is `secured within the housing body 'by means of a sprinkler locking sleeve vadapter structure 20 which is shown in detail in FIGURE 4 and which is snugly tted within the conduit 12 in a position to t-urn inside of -the enlarged housing section ,8.

In one preferred form of the invention the sprinkler head includes a Chevron guide means consisting of a V-shaped guide part G which is adapted when the sprinkler head is lowered to engage against an inverted V-shaped lug V (FIGURE 5) and become turned or guided into a position such that the sprinkler head is aligned with the elongated housing 2to become recessed therein.

As shown in more detail in FIGURE 3, the locking sleeve adapter structure 20 comprises a tubular body which may be cast machined or otherwise formed of aluminum or other material. Member 20 is recessed to form a sealing ring groove 22 in which is received a sealing ring 24. The tubular adapter structure is formed with an upper part 20a of a reduced diameter as indicated in FIGURE 4 and at opposite sides of the reduced part 20a are formed a pair of arcuate locking cam portions, one of which is denoted by numeral 28 in FIG- URE 4.

These cam portions 28 are constructed with flat hottom sides 28a which are designed to bear against and turn on the annular locking surface 8a. The upper edges of the cazm portions 28 are of a gradually curved shape which permits the cam to be turned under the lugs 10 and with further rotation to become solidly locked therewith. Each of the carn portions 28 are further provided as .an integral ipart thereof with wrench supporting key portions 30, 31 which extend vertically upwardly inside the housing 2. In FIGURE 2, 34 denotes a turning lever or wrench also shown in FIGURE 6 which is of a thickness less than the space between the housing 2 and the conduit 12 so that it may -be removably received in the space indicated. A lower extremity of the lever 34 is slotted at 36 to provide for engagement over one of the key portions 30. At its upper end the lever is formed with a right angularly extending handle portion 38. By arranging the lever in the manner described, it becomes possible to readily engage and disenga-ge the threads 28 under the lugs 10. In a disengaged position of the threads with the lugs, it will be apparent that the entire unit may be removed from the housing for repair or servicing.

An important feature of the locking sleeve and turning lever is that the novel thread and key arrangement may be associated with other conduit elements for interchangeability. For example, in FIGURES 7 and 8, I have illustrated a housing 2a, -a tubular part 4a, an adapter pant 8a, and a conduit 40 having a locking sleeve part 42 with cams 44 of the type `already described. sprinkler head unit of FIGURE 1 and thereby provide a threaded connecting end 46 to which a hose connection 48 ymay be secured so that greater versatility is realized. In this type of arrangement where no sprinkler head is used a .handle 50l may be fixed to the `tubular part 40. t

. While I have shown and described a preferred yform of the invention, changes and modifications maybe resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A fluid dispensing apparatus ofthe pop-up sprinkler This assembly :may be used to replace t-hevalve class comprising in combination a `housing adapted to be supported below ground level in a subst-antially vertically disposed .position and including a tubular bottom section for connecting with an under-ground fluid supply main, said housing being formed'at an intermediate portion thereof with an enlarged hollow body portion having a continuous horizontally extending annular locking surface and inwardly projectinglugportions located in spaced relationabove the annular 'locking surface, a cylindrical fluid vconduit member located within the housing and vertically movable therein, a locking sleeve adapter element 'detachably contained in the housing and having an enlarged intermediate portion thereof mounted around the uid conduit member the upper and lower ends of said sleeve adapter element occurring in spaced relation to adjafcentfsurfaces of the housing to provide an annular passageway, lsaid locking sleeve adapter element presenting 'arcuate lock- -ing cam portions, and said 4cam portions being conlow body portion and engage against under surfaces lof projecting lug portions to secure the locking sleeve and uid conduit in solidly locked relationship with the housing, and said arcuate cam portions being further formed with elongated vertically projecting wrench supporting key portions which extend vertically upwardly between the housing and uid conduit for an appreciable distance to provide 'bearing surfaces along which torque forces may be exerted 'by a slotted wrench engaged over the cam portions to ,turn the caml portions in the said annular passageway and thereby disengage the cam .pontions from the inwardly projecting locking aportions.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 in which the adapterelement is provided at the lower portion thereof with a ring grooved portion and a ring sealably sup- .ported therein.

3. A structure according to claim 1 in which the fiuid conduit consists lof a pop-up type sprinkler head .which operates in response to uid pressure exerted through the said fluid supply main.

4. A `structure according to claim 1 in which the uid conduit consists of a pipe with a threaded end portion which may receive a base fitting in place of the sprinkler head.

f References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS v2,968,440 1/1961 Cone e 239-203 3,086,714 4/1963 Tropeano et a1. 239-204 X 3,088,677 5/1963 Coney et a1. 239-205 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,417 7/1893 Great Britain.-

M. `HENSON WOOD, IR., Primary Examiner.

V. M. WIGMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS OF THE POP-UP SPRINKLER VALVE CLASS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED BELOW GROUND LEVEL IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED POSITION AND INCLUDING A TUBULAR BOTTOM SECTION FOR CONNECTING WITH AN UNDERGROUND FLUID SUPPLY MAIN, SAID HOUSING BEING FORMED AT AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION THEREOF WITH AN ENLARGED HOLLOW BODY PORTION HAVING A CONTINUOUS HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING ANNULAR LOCKING SURFACE AND INWARDLY PROJECTING LUG PORTIONS LOCATED IN SPACED RELATION ABOVE THE ANNULAR LOCKING SURFACE, A CYLINDRICAL FLUID CONDUIT MEMBER LOCATED WITHIN THE HOUSING AND VERTICALLY MOVABLE THEREIN, A LOCKING SLEEVE ADAPTER ELEMENT DETACHABLY CONTAINED IN THE HOUSING AND HAVING AN ENLARGED INTERMEDIATE PORTION THEREOF MOUNTED AROUND THE FLUID CONDUIT MEMBER THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF SAID SLEEVE ADAPTER ELEMENT OCCURRING IN SPACED RELATION TO ADJACENT SURFACES OF THE HOUSING TO PROVIDE AN ANNULAR PASSAGEWAY, SAID LOCKING SLEEVE ADAPTER ELEMENT PRESENTING ARCUATE LOCKING CAM PORTIONS, AND SAID CAM PORTIONS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO TURN ON THE ANNULAR LOCKING SURFACE IN SNUGLY FITTED RELATIONSHIP IN THE ENLARGED HOL- 